Match Report


ALTRINCHAM (1) 2 BARROW (0) 1

Skrill North match
played on Tuesday, 20 August 2013, at 7.45pm
at Kidderminster Harriers FC


SUMMARY

With motorway hold-ups preventing many Barrow supporters and their team's kit from getting to Altrincham, the visitors had to play in Altrincham's away kit.

After Barrow had had the better of the first half, Altrincham took the lead on the stroke of half time when Lawrie threaded a low shot into the corner of the net. However, Altrincham started the second half in a much better manner, having brought on Nicky Clee at the break.

The sides then traded a goal apiece in a minute as, fisrtly, Perry lobbed McMillan to score (53 mins) before Barrow's Davies netted at the other end (54 mins). After 63 minutes Rob Williams saw red for a foul on Reeves but far from imposing their man advantage, Altrincham were second best as Barrow took the game to the hosts.

However Alty retained their advantage to the end, aided by several threatening but unproductive counter-attacks.


SCORERS:


REFEREE: Mr Robert Jones
ATTENDANCE: 844
TEAM NEWS

Despite winning their opening game against Worcester, Altrincham nevertheless made three changes for this game. Leather, Moult and Walshaw gave way to Doughty, Rodgers and Perry in the starting eleven and, with Richman coming into the squad, Reid dropped out leaving Alty without a substitute goalkeeper.


LINE-UPS:

ALTRINCHAM (Red and white stripes, red shorts and socks) : 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Shaun DENSMORE (capt), 3. Matt DOUGHTY, 4. Carl RODGERS, 5. Gianluca HAVERN, 6. Mike WILLIAMS, 7. Brian SMIKLE, 8. Danny BOSHELL, 9. Kyle PERRY, 10. Damian REEVES, 11. James LAWRIE. Subs: 12. Scott LEATHER, 14. James WALSHAW, 15. Jake MOULT, 16. Simon RICHMAN, 18. Nicky CLEE.

BARROW (Aquamarine and grey): 1. Tony McMillan, 2. Andy Burns, 3. Duran Reynolds, 4. Robbie Williams, 5. Danny O'Donnell, 6. Robin Hulbert, 7. Alex-Ray Harvey, 8. Richard Davies, 9. Dale Johnson, 10. Aaron Bowen, 11. Gareth Arnison. Subs 12. Danny Parkinson, 14. Paul Edwards, 15. Greg Mills, 16. Alex Meechan, 17. Sam Sheridan


BACKGROUND:

Mike Garnett has provided data on previous clashes between Altrincham and Barrow.

This was the clubs' first league meeting for three seasons, when both clubs were in the Conference's national division. Altrincham had won this season's opening game, away to Worcester City, whilst Barrow had lost at home to Brackley Town.


REPORT

With Barrow's support reduced by the M6 traffic problems, Altrincham kicked off towards the Golf Road End on a warm evening in the inaugural competitive game at the J. Davidson Stadium at Moss Lane. Before kick off there was a minute's applause for the late Keith Davey and Jack Crompton. Keith was a longstanding Altrincham FC volunteer and supporter and latterly was the Club's catering manager, whilst former Manchester United goalkeeper Jack was a frequent spectator at Moss Lane.

The game started four minutes late but, after just 25 seconds, Lawrie flashed a 20 yarder wide. But the bright start was not to be maintained.

Barrow, whose players are largely based closer to Manchester than Cumbria, had managed to get their team to Altrincham even if their kit had not arrived. They were to win the game's first corner following a low throw by Reynolds. From this Bowen hooked an effort at the back post well over the bar (4 mins).

Petty fouls by Barrow's Rob Williams on Reeves and Alty's Lawrie on Hulbert followed before Barrow threatened until Smikle cleared. Play then stopped when, bizarrely, no fewer than four balls were on the field of play - three of them having been thrown back into the ground after being kicked out during the match warm-up!

Play continued scrappily till Perry did well to chest the ball, turn and shoot on target at McMillan (12 mins). Another bright spot was a seven or eight-pass move which ended with McMillan saving Densmore's well-struck shot from the right (16 mins). Then an impressive Doughty run up the middle was halted by a dubious handball decision against the Alty left-back (17 mins).

After 18 minutes Barrow won another corner which led to a foul on Coburn, making his 600th appearance for Altrincham. Barrow were now having the better of things, keeping Altrincham penned back (24 mins). As the half hour approached manager Lee Sinnott was in the technical area geeing up his Alty team.

Then Barrow went close as a cross just evaded their players at back post. Four minutes later the speedy Harvey advanced unchallenged but shot well wide (35 mins). Alty improved as Reeves located Rodgers, whose shot won Altrincham a corner on the right. From this, Havern's header was spilt by McMillan but the ball was cleared.

With the game remaining low on quality the tall former Cammell Laird forward, Bowen, won another Barrow corner (41 mins). With all 11 home players back, Altrincham's clearance came straight back into their box before the threat was over and, on the counter, Rodgers fired well over.

In the closing stages of the half, Alty upped their game; Lawrie won a freekick on half way, than a Doughty cross was too high for Perry before another cross led to Perry going down in the box. However, the ball came out to Lawrie, who cleverly threaded a low shot, from the edge of the box, through a crowded goalmouth and into keeper McMillan's bottom left corner, with just seconds of the 45 minutes remaining.

A minute of added time was played before the interval which Alty reached with a slightly fortunate one-goal lead.


Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 1 BARROW 0

Barrow came out early for the second half before Altrincham brought on Clee for Smikle before the game resumed. Altrincham started the second half in a much better vein than they had displayed for much of the first half.

First, McMillan cleared as Reeves chased him down, then Perry was pulled over for a freekick and Rob Williams was lectured before Densmore's freekick was cleared (49 mins). Next a Doughty cross went off O'Donnell for a corner, from which Havern got in a header before Clee fired over from 22 yards. An impressive Clee run now maintained the pressure on Barrow.

The pressure paid off as a ball deflected off a Barrow player to Perry who, from outside the box, lobbed McMillan to make it 2-0 in the 53rd minute. After the game had restarted, Perry went down injured near halfway but play continued. As Johnson was blocked off in the Alty box, the ball fell for Davies, whose shot was deflected by a stretching Shaun Densmore past his keeper Stuart Coburn, to reduce Barrow's arrears (54 mins).

Before play resumed Perry went off and Walshaw came on (55 mins). From a left wing cross a Barrow mis-header gave Havern a volley at the back post but he blasted it high over the bar (57 mins).

Alty continued to play better than in the first half as Walshaw was just beaten to a through ball by keeper McMillan and then an excellent Densmore ball found Reeves but he scuffed his shot wide. It looked to be curtains for Barrow when Rob Williams brought down the advancing Reeves on the front edge of the box. The former Alty centre back was shown a red card, leaving Alty with almost half an hour to play against ten men (62 mins).

Barrow readjusted bringing on the experienced Edwards for ex-Alty striker Dale Johnson and former Alty loanee Sam Sheridan replaced Robin Hulbert. However, Densmore put the freekick for Williams's foul over the bar (64 mins).

Contrary to expectation it was ten-man Barrow who now set the agenda, with Edwards particularly impressive, getting forward up the left wing several times. However, Alty defended well and, although a corner was conceded, their goal remained well protected for the next ten minutes of Barrow pressure.

A Barrow mis-pass to Clee allowed Alty some respite and he fed Walshaw who shot wildly over (77 mins). Altrincham's nervy perfomance continued as both Lawrie and Clee gave the ball away cheaply inside a minute. At the back Densmore blocked an Edwards cross well (82 mins).

For Alty, Clee was proving the best outlet as he ran at the opposition. When a freekick was awarded for Rodgers's foul on Arnison, Reeves was taken off and Richman came on for his first appearance of the season after injury (84 mins).

After 87 minutes, Clee won a freekick in the left corner at the Barrow end, with the offender Burns being booked. McMillan dropped a corner soon afterwards and the combined efforts of Walshaw and Richman bundled the ball into the net, only to see the effort disallowed for a foul (88 mins).

In the closing stages Altrincham were now more comfortable than they had been for the preceding twenty minutes as Clee won a corner. But in the 90th minute Lawrie gave the ball away and Barrow broke forward to win a freekick at the other end, which Coburn punched clear.

Referee Jones found a surprisingly long five added minutes to be played, during which Lawrie found Walshaw who won a corner. But, with the game into the sixth added minute, the final whistle confirmed Altrincham's second successive win, though not one that was wholly convincing. They played well at the satrt of the second half but lost their way when Barrow were reduced to ten men and the visitors went forward.


Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM 2 BARROW 1